Main focus of Friday, May 18, 2007

Towards a mini treaty for the EU

The idea of a mini treaty defended by the French president Nicolas Sarkozy is evolving in Europe, notably after his meeting in Berlin on Wednesday, May 16th, with the German chancellor Angela Merkel. The European commentators consider that this project, which has reduced the ambition of political integration, should give a new thrust to Europe.

Les Echos - France

The columnist Paula Fabra analyses Nicolas Sarkozy's position concerning the EU and the necessity to 'recreate a European space'. "A first test will be the project of a 'simplified treaty' that Nicolas Sarkozy is proposing to Angela Merkel with a view to 'unblocking the running of institutions', as he says ... . The hitch is that underlying the negative decision of the French (and Dutch) people, is the feeling that the European Union, with its majority decision-making, encroaches on the right of nations to decide for themselves. The president is insisting on the principle of subsidiarity: 'Europe where it is required, as much as it is required, but not more than it is required'. No more of the slogan that created so much constitutional confusion; 'Forever more Europe!'. Otherwise said, subsidiarity is the equivalent, in political and legal terms, of a definition dear to Nicolas Sarkozy of limited geographical borders for Europe." (18/05/2007)

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Frankfurter Rundschau - Germany

For Birgitte Kols, the new French president Nicolas Sarkozy is "a 'Monsieur one hundred-thousand volts' who feeds energy into his own country, as was the case during the European constitutional process. He has no trouble conveying his message to people... His strategy for winning support, which is even directed at other parties, is the product of the shrewdness of the power tactician. His demonstrative climb onto the German-French tandem is also the result of such tactics. Great Britain is no longer on the inner track of the European race. Sarkozy's cooperation with Merkel aimed at pushing forward the EU constitution could indeed go further than expected. Sarkozy is motivated by the prospect of winning back a leading position within the EU, at Germany's side. Never mind if it takes more than a mini-treaty to achieve this. Pace-setting Sarkozy will collect Euro points and use them - for France." (18/05/2007)

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The Daily Telegraph - United Kingdom

The British daily is wary of how Tony Blair might represent the UK at the EU summit in Brussels on June 2Ist, especially regarding a revised treaty. "The German chancellor, Angela Merkel, is determined to secure at least an outline agreement on amending the Maastricht and Nice treaties to adapt EU institutions to further enlargement. Nice, for example, allows for up to 27 members, a limit that will be breached when Croatia joins in 2009. ... Britain will be vulnerable on two counts at the June summit. First, it will be represented by a man who will still be in office, but from whom authority will have leached. Second, making his final twirl on the international stage, Mr Blair may be tempted to jettison prudence in the hope of going out on a high note. He might see bringing back an agreement as enhancing his personal reputation, but this would not necessarily be in the national interest." (18/05/2007)

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Cinco Días - Spain

"Thanks to the new generation of politicians who have come to power in Europe these past few years, the paralysis that the European Union has been suffering from can soon be drawn to an end", considers the Spanish daily. "Merkel and Sarkozy are both in favour of an EU based on a more economic than political framework and where the constitutional project will be reduced to a minimal number of common articles. ... It won't be long before governments change their behaviour, moving towards the creation of a real single market of production and consumption of goods and services. The European project cannot have the single currency, which is a big success both within and beyond its borders, without allowing the possibility of common, harmonised markets in the fields of energy, logistics, telecommunications and finances." (18/05/2007)

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